To See Or Not To See

Great Performances Saturate Reign

By Jan Stetter
QCFMAG.COM

Fans expecting a comic performance from Adam Sandler will be disappointed. In this film, however, they will see his growth and increasing versatility as an actor.

Reign Over Me tells of one man’s unrelenting grief after losing his wife and daughters in the events of September 11.

Sandler plays New Yorker Charlie Fineman, a grief-stricken dentist who drops out of his life when his family dies. Payouts to the surviving family members allow him to exist in a self-imposed insular world. He is not a street person, yet he certainly could be mistaken for one. He does not engage in conversation with other people; he refuses to accept any commiseration or comfort from his in-laws, who are likewise devastated by the loss of their daughter and granddaughters.

Although the script is smart and, at times, reflects the humor shared by two guy friends, it remains a drama that places Adam Sandler amongst a cast of credible, serious actors.

Don Cheadle plays Alan Johnson, a fellow dentist and former college roommate of Charlie’s. Johnson is instrumental in encouraging Charlie to take control of his life and manages to learn the same lesson for himself.

Jada Pinkett Smith gives a winning performance as Johnson’s patient wife, waiting for him to confront his insecurities and move on. Liv Tyler has a small supporting role as a therapist who befriends Cheadle’s character and counsels a grieving Saffron Burrows, who plays a jilted wife.

To See Or Not To See

Known Outcome Doesn't Dampen Thriller Breach
by Jan Stetter
QCFMAG.COM

Breach, a movie that depicts an actual event where the outcome is known, succeeds in captivating its audience. It is the tale of an authentic historical account of one of the most damaging espionage stories in America’s history.

At the center of this story is Robert Hanssen, portrayed brilliantly by Chris Cooper. Hanssen is the real-life traitor who sent classified information to the Russians. Cooper has a chameleon-like quality in letting the audience read his emotional hues, changing as quickly as this story unfolds. One moment he is aloof and stoic; the next, a playful, adoring grandfather as well as a committed husband and a genius in the world of high-tech security information systems. Cooper does this so convincingly that his assigned underling, Eric O’Neill, is confounded by the discovery of Hanssen’s double life.

Second to Chris Cooper’s performance is that of Ryan Phillippe. Philippe plays Eric O’Neill, Hanssen’s assistant. Unaware of Hanssen’s covert actions and the purpose of his own role in working for Hanssen, Eric is a good Catholic boy of the straight and narrow path and has his sights set on being an FBI agent. He is committed to the code of the Bureau and will not let anything deter him.

Phillippe’s performance elicits the art of acting in its purest form. There is no doubt that Philippe, as O’Neill, is in awe of his mentor. There is no doubt that the character is devoted to attaining the commitment and compromised personal life the FBI requires. And, in this convincing portrayal, it is all the more disconcerting when Eric discovers the truth about Hanson.

Actual footage of former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft announcing the apprehension of Hanssen drapes this movie in a real time sense of American diplomacy with its international security at the forefront. Accurate on-site scenes filmed in Washington D.C. serve to enhance its accuracy.

This movie is intelligent and without graphic violence. The dialog is clear and nearly absent of expletives.

Adding to the fine script and well-crafted retelling of a highest profile patriot betrayal is the interesting actual human twist made by the real life protagonist, Eric O’Neill. Also, a nod should go to Laura Linney for her outstanding performance. She played O’Neill’s boss, who helped spearhead the conviction of the most famous man who chose to breach his country’s loyalty.

Ferrell Departure a Success

Cast, director weave great story into good premise

by Jan Stetter/QCFMag.com

Stranger Than Fiction is an entertaining movie about a mild mannered IRS employee who lives his life in a comfortable fashion, counting his way to each new day.

Will Ferrell plays Harold Crick who counts his toothbrush strokes, the steps to get from his door to the bus line, and the obligatory moments he takes for his daily work break.

His life is neither here nor there. Until one day he hears a voice narrating his numeric existence.
Only he can hear this English accented voice spoken by Emma Thompson, who plays author Kay Eiffel, as she types the details of Harold Crick’s character. Crick is the protagonist in her latest novel—which makes for an entertaining movie premise.

It works due to the talents of director Marc Forster, who himself has a successful film career. He directed the whimsical Finding Neverland and the stark Monster’s Ball. He encourages his actors to define their roles as if they really do live in their characters’ shoes. An element of sweet self-realization for Harold Crick and his tentative moving beyond his calculated comfort zones is examples. Emma Thompson’s refusal to wear makeup for the movie to reflect her character’s recluse nature, and Dustin Hoffman’s quirky performance as a literary authority who is a college professor and faculty life guard makes this movie very pleasurable.

In another instance, Mr. Forster encourages Maggie Gyllenhaal, Harold’s female love interest Ana Pascal, to abandon her contempt for her nemesis, the Tax Man. She is presented as an intelligent, bohemian, café owner who is rebel enough to withhold a percentage of her taxes to show her disapproval of government spending. This action confounds Harold as much as Ana is dumbfounded by Harold’s loyalty to his job and lack of pretense. It is this dynamic that makes us care about these two people. We know people who are uptight and live by the letter of the law and those who are unabandoned and free spirited.

This story could have been successful as a simple love story or even a quaint film about human nature without the vehicle of fantasy mingling with reality. Who could go wrong with the supporting actors who carry this film? It’s as if each one serves to endear them to the heart of this movie.

This movie has heart. And there lies the discomfiture. People going to Stranger Than Fiction expecting a laugh-out-loud performance by Will Ferrell will be seriously disappointed—as that is how the movie is being promoted. Why don't distributors of these movies let the story speak for itself?

Maybe that would be stranger than fiction.